The assembly of satellite antennas may require the use of bosses, screws, washers, or tape, to assemble all of the layers of the antenna to each other. Using these mechanical parts to secure the layers of the antenna may result in degraded antenna performance, and may also necessitate an increase in the size of the antenna to accommodate the parts. The parts may increase the cost of building an antenna.
Having a reflector patch on a satellite antenna PCB made of FR-4, or other substrate material may increase the cost of the antenna and add additional weight to the antenna. The designer of a satellite antenna may need to take into account PCB tolerance and warping.